Display device



May 30, 1967 M. BUBB 3,322,381

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 26, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet f 46 48' 1 If:HIIIIII J 3 -IIIH|II l /n v V/ lNVEN/Ol? MA X BUBB United States PatentClaims This invention relates to display devices, and particularly to adevice for displaying pictorial or letter messages and/ or merchandise.

An object of the invention is the provision of a display device whichpermits plates carrying messages and trays carrying merchandise to bedisplayed interchangeably or simultaneously in a vertical arrayoccupying but a minimum of floor space and readily attracting attention.

Another object is the provision of a device in which individual messageor merchandise carrying display elements may be removed quickly andconveniently and replaced by others.

A further object is the provision of a device which gives an overallimpression of lightness, yet provides firm and safe support for thedisplay elements carrying messages or merchandise.

With these objects and others in view, as will hereinafter becomeapparent, the invention in one of its aspects provides an elongatedsupport member such as a pole of circular cross section which may be setup with its axis extending in a vertical position. The pole is providedwith one or more clamping members having integrally joined leg portionswhich jointly define an axially open channel for receiving the supportmember. The channel has a resilient wall which may be engagedconformingly with the support member about more than 180", but substantially less than 360 of the circumference of the latter. Terminal partsof the leg portions define a radial entrance to the channel, and areresiliently movable relative to each other in a substantiallycircumferential direction between a relaxed position in which theentrance is narrower than the cross sectional width of the supportmember, and a distended position in which the entrance is at least aswide as the cross sectional width of the pole. A substantiallyplate-shaped display element may be secured to the clamping member.

Other features, additional objects, and many of the attendant advantagesof this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment when considered with reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a display device of the invention in elevation, and partlyin section;

FIG. 2 illustrates a detail of the device of FIG. 1 in plan view on alarger scale than that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows yet another detail of the device of FIG. 1 in plan view;and

FIG. 4 shows the detail of FIG. 3 in elevational section on the lineIV-IV.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1, thereis seen a display device of the invention whose supporting structuremainly consists of a generally cylindrical upright pole and a pedestal12. The reduced bottom end 14 of the pole 10 is conformi-ngly, butmovably received in an upwardly open recess of the pedestal 12. Annularcollars 16 are uniformly spaced along the pole It The pole and itscollars are a unitary body of ma terial, and may be a casting ormolding. The top end of the pole has ,an axially open recess 18substantially identical with the recess of the pedestal 12.

A stiff, plate-shaped display element 20, which is a rectangular pieceof cardboard or plastic, and normally carries a printed or pictorialmessage, not shown, is attached to the pole 10 by a clip 22 better seenin FIG. 2. The clip is a piece of extruded resilient plastic or metal,but may be made in any other manner to have the uniform cross sectionapparent from FIG. 2. It has two leg p0rtions 24 which jointly define achannel 26 in which an axial section of the pole 10 is conforminglyreceived in the assembled condition of the device, as shown in FIG. 1.The free end parts 28 of the leg portions 24 define a radially openentrance 30 to the channel 26, and flare outwardly of the entrance. Inthe relaxed position of the clip shown in FIG. 2, the entrance 30 isnarrower than the diameter or cross sectional width of the pole 10, andthe channel 26 is smaller than the cross section of the pole.

Two prongs 32 are respectively integrally attatched to the leg portions24, and extend from the associated leg portions in a directiontransversely of the channel axis away from the entrance 30. Two narrowserrated faces 34 of the prongs 32 form the sides of a slot 36 which isaxially elongated in the mounted clip 22. The element 20 is received inthe slot of the clip 22 in FIG. 1.

A wall portion 38 of the clip 22 integrally connects the leg portions 24and extends therewith about the channel 26 in an arc of about 240. Thewall portion is sufliciently flexible to permit some pivoting movementof the two leg portions 24 and of the two prongs 32 relative to eachother. When the end parts 28 are forced apart, the serrated faces 34move tow rd each other, and the slot 36 is narrowed. Conversely, whenthe faces 36 are forced apart, the leg portions 24 tend to move towardeach other.

The device described so far is assembled as follows:

The pole It) is placed in its pedestal 12 which holds it upright, butpermits the pole to be turned. A clip 22 is placed on a pole sectionbetween two adjacent collars 16, the spacing of the collars beingslightly greater than the axial length of the clip. The dimensions ofthe clip 22 are correlated to those of the pole 10 in such a manner thatthe channel 26 and its entrance 30 are somewhat distended when the poleis conformingly received in the channel so that the slot 36 becomesnarrower than shown in FIG. 2. The flaring end parts 28 guide the pole10 to the entrance 3d and the end parts 23 may be spread apart bymanually urging the prongs 32 toward each other.

The element 20 is next pushed through the slot 36 until it abuts againstthe wall portion 38, the thickness of the element being sufiicient toforce the prongs 32 apart, thereby increasing the resilient clampinggrip of the leg portions 24 on the post 10. Vertical displacement of theclip 22 under its own weight and that of the element 20 is prevented byabutting engagement of the clip with the next lower collar 16. The gripof the serrated faces 34 on the element 20 is sufiicient to hold theelement in the illustrated position, or in any other desired position inwhich the element extends mainly in a vertical plane. The entrance 30extends over less than of the pole circumference when the latter isplaced in the channel 26.

The pole 10 also supports a plate-like tray 40 which may serve as acarrier for merchandise to be displayed. As seen in more detail in FIGS.3 and 4, the tray 4%} is mounted on the pole by means of a clip 42 whoseleg portions 44 are closely similar to the afore-described leg portions24, and normally conformingly and frictionally engage a section of thepole 10 between two collars 16.

The tray 40 has a circular, horizontal top face 46 which is bounded by araised rim 58. It will be appreciated that the tray 40 may be mounted onthe pole in an inversed position in which its fiat underside facesupward for carrying objects that would be obscured by the rim 48 or maybe too long to be contained within the rim which holds smaller objectssecurely on the carrying face 46.

The wall portion 50 of the clip 42 which integrally connects the legportions 44 is recessed conformingly to receive an edge portion of thetray 40, and provide-d with an axial groove in its outer face in which abracket 52 is received. The bracket, which is a plate having the shapeof a right triangle, holds the engaged underside of the tray 40 at rightangles to the pole axis. The bracket is fixedly attached to the clip 42and to the tray 40, and a non-illustrated tray assembly molded as aunitary piece of plastic including the clip 42, the tray 40, and thebracket 52 has been found most serviceable, and to combine light weightwith high strength.

Obviously more than one plate-shaped element 20 and more than one tray40 may be attached to the same pole 10, and the pole may carry onlytrays or only plateshaped elements without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. The flexibility of the display arrangement is one of itsmajor advantages. If the length of a single pole is insufficient, thebottom end of another pole, identical with that illustrated, may beinserted coaxially into the recess 18.

It should be understood, therefore, that the foregoing disclosurerelates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it isintended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of theinvention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention setforth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising, in combination:

(a) an elongated support member having a longitudinal axis and being ofsubstantially circular cross section about said axis;

(b) a clamping member having two integrally joined leg portions jointlydefining an axially open channel for receiving said support member, saidclamping member constituting a resilient wall of said channelconformingly engaging said support member about more than 180, butsubstantially less than 360 of the circumference thereof, respectiveterminal parts of said leg portions defining therebetween a radialentrance to said channel, said terminal parts being resiliently movablerelative to each other in a substantially circumferential directionbetween a relaxed position in which said entrance is narrower than thecross sectional width of said support member and a distended position inwhich said entrance is at least as wide as said cross sectional width;and

(c) securing means for securing a substantially plateshaped displayelement to said clamping member,

(1) said securing means including two prong portions respectivelyattached to said leg portions and extending therefrom transversely ofsaid axis in a direction away from said entrance,

(2) said prong portions defining an axially elongated slot therebetween,said prong portions moving apart to Widen said slot when said terminalparts move from said distended to said relaxed position, and

(3) said prong portions urging said terminal parts to move from saiddistended position toward said relaxed position when the prong portionsare moved toward each other to narrow said slot.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said terminal parts flareoutwardly of said entrance.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality ofaxially spaced abutment means on said support member for preventingaxial sliding movement of said clamping member on the support member.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said abutment means eachinclude an annular projection on said support member.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the axial spacing of saidprojections is substantially uniform and at least equal to but notsubstantially greater than the axial length of said leg portions.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said prong portions areintegral with said leg portions and constitute a unitary structuretherewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,473 4/1888 Austin 248-121 X1,045,583 11/1912 Mills 248-121 X 1,081,378 12/1913 Freeman 248-2241,782,257 11/1930 Dumler 211-163 X 2,156,025 4/ 1939 Paul 248-2302,262,873 11/1941 Wise 248-230 X 2,930,156 3/1960 Jones 248-229 X3,194,526 7/1965 Lemmond 248-226 3,228,640 1/1966 Wolsh 248-72 CLAUDE A.LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) AN ELONGATED SUPPORTMEMBER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULARCROSS SECTION ABOUT SAID AXIS; (B) A CLAMPING MEMBER HAVING TWOINTEGRALLY JOINED LEG PORTIONS JOINTLY DEFINING AN AXIALLY OPEN CHANNELFOR RECEIVING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID CLAMPING MEMBER CONSTITUTING ARESILIENT WALL OF SAID CHANNEL CONFORMINGLY ENGAGING SAID SUPPORT MEMBERABOUT MORE THAN 180*, BUT SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN 360* OF THECIRCUMFERENCE THEREOF, RESPECTIVE TERMINAL PARTS OF SAID LEG PORTIONSDEFINING THEREBETWEEN A RADIAL ENTRANCE TO SAID CHANNEL, SAID TERMINALPARTS BEING RESILIENTLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER IN ASUBSTANTIALLY CIRCUMFERENTIAL DIRECTION BETWEEN A RELAXED POSITION INWHICH SAID ENTRANCE IS NARROWER THAN THE CROSS SECTIONAL WIDTH OF SAIDSUPPORT MEMBER AND A DISTENDED POSITION IN WHICH SAID ENTRANCE IS ATLEAST AS WIDE AS SAID CROSS SECTIONAL WIDTH; AND (C) SECURING MEANS FORSECURING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLATESHAPED DISPLAY ELEMENT TO SAID CLAMPINGMEMBER, (1) SAID SECURING MEANS INCLUDING TWO PRONG PORTIONSRESPECTIVELY ATTACHED TO SAID LEG PORTIONS AND EXTENDING THEREFROMTRANSVERSELY OF SAID AXIS IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID ENTRANCE, (2)SAID PRONG PORTIONS DEFINING AN AXIALLY ELONGATED SLOT THEREBETWEEN,SAID PRONG PORTIONS MOVING APART TO WIDEN SAID SLOT WHEN SAID TERMINALPARTS MOVE FROM SAID DISTENDED TO SAID RELAXED POSITION, AND (3) SAIDPRONG PORTIONS URGING SAID TERMINAL PARTS TO MOVE FROM SAID DISTENDEDPOSITION TOWARD